A Familiar Face
by lauren.e.otto
Summary: A cute one shot story of the beginnings of a different love triangle.


She knew it was wrong, but what else could she do? Her parents lost the inn years ago and this was the only way they could get any money. She definitely knew her way around, but she spat at the idea of selling herself to the world of prostitution. She had lost too many childhood friends that way.

Eponine had no idea how her parents' scheme to hustle money from people actually worked. Did no one realize that the baby her mother carried was a fake and that it stopped crying as soon as she started talking?

Rich people these days… The more money they had in their purse, the dumber they were.

It was her job to point out potential people to scam to her father, then he would "work his magic" as he always said. As soon as the person in question got close enough, her father would lead them behind a curtain into a back room and her parents weasel every franc from them that they can find.

Today was no different.

Eponine wandered around the shops and snatched a bruised red apple from a stand as quick as lightning and tossed it to Gavroche, who was standing behind her. She always helped him out because the stands were still too tall for him to be able to see what he was grabbing. However, she noticed that he was going through a bit of a growth spurt, so she figured that her days of helping him were numbered. Looking back over her shoulder at him running away with his prize, she ran into something that she thought was a wall.

"Oof, hey! What the-"

"Oh, sorry 'Ponine. I thought you saw me," a boy her age said. "Always with your head in the clouds as usual."

It was her friend, Marius. She always thought of him as stubborn for refusing financial help from his aristocratic grandfather, but he refused to spend anything he didn't earn himself.

"I just helped Gavroche with some breakfast." Eponine confided. "That boy's growing like a weed."

"I'd have to agree with you on that one." Marius laughed awkwardly. He always tended to act this way around Eponine and she never understood why. "Want to hear more about the revolution plans that the guys and I came up with last night?" he continued.

"Not now," Eponine said distractedly. "I'm on duty with father, so I'm going to be busy until the shops close. Maybe later tonight?"

"That sounds great." Marius sighed. "Do you mind if I hang around here until then?"

"Not at all, but just be sure not to catch my father's eye. That man's the most determined person I know." Eponine warned.

They parted ways as Marius went to go to talk to a friend. Eponine sighed and took off her hat to tuck her hair out of sight. People seemed to be more sympathetic to a small boy than a teenage girl. Her hat was still in her face when somebody brushed past her.

"Oh I'm so sorry." a girl implored. "I should have looked where I was going."

The commotion caught Marius' attention and he looked over from his conversation, but he did not move.

"No, it's my fault, mademoiselle. I should not have been standing in the middle of the path." Eponine apologized. Some of her long dark hair spilled out of her hat, so her cover was blown.

Eponine pushed her hat away from her face and looked at who this person was.

She froze. Right in front of her was a girl that she thought she would only ever see in story books. Compared to her, she was an angel. Her skin was pale as freshly fallen snow, her hair resembled rays of sunlight, and her dress was the most extravagant Eponine has ever seen.

The other girl was frozen as well and had a strange expression on her face.

Disgust? No, Eponine knew that facial expression too well.

Her icy blue eyes went wide, but were still astonishingly beautiful.

Those eyes looked so familiar…

The other girl seemed to come back down to earth, so she cleared her throat to speak.

"I need to go back to my papa. He'll be worried if he sees me gone."

If Eponine hadn't been so enchanted, she wouldn't have been able to hear what she said.

Eponine nodded and watched her go.

She hoped to see her again soon.


End file.
